American Samoa recyclers save money on utility bills

The American Samoa Power Authority's Recycling Program says many of their customers are earning credits on their utility bills with money redeemed from recycling.

A company spokesman says hundreds of customers are turning in their scrap metal, aluminum, plastic and glass bottles to ASPA every day.

Customers get ASPA vouchers for their trash which is then used to offset their electricity bills.

ASPA customer service manager, Ryan Tuato'o, said some people turn in trash two or three times a day after going around the island and picking up trash on the road side, the beach front and even from other people's homes.

"They are telling us that people are laughing at them. You known people are going through the trash containers, why are they going through the trash to pich this stuff up but they are the ones that have credits on their ASPA bill. They are the ones that are laughing now because they don't have to worry about being disconnected. A lot of them give a lot of their extra vouchers to the church. We heard of a community that does that for their church and even their church has a credit of their ASPA bill."